Need to boost acreage, use of high-yielding seeds to boost mustard crop production: Experts

Mustard crop, an indigenous oilseed grown in Rabi season, can play an important role in achieving selfsufficiency in domestic output of edible oils and there is a need to increase acreage, promote use of high-yielding seed varieties and provide assured prices to farmers to boost yield and production, according to industry experts.

- AGENCIES

According to the latest government data, India’s rapeseed and mustard production stood at 126.06 lakh tonnes in 2024-25 crop year (July-June) with acreage of 86.29 lakh hectares and an average yield of 1,461 kg per hectare. The area and production have declined from 202324 when acreage was 91.83 lakh hectares while output was 132.59 lakh tonnes.

Puri Oil Mills Ltd Managing Director Vivek Puri said, “The idea that mustard oil should play a vital role in bridging the edible oil demand-supply gap and in reducing import dependency is an integral part of our company’s vision.”

He noted that there is a huge scope to expand mustard cultivation as well as yield per hectare to enhance mustard oil production. Puri asserted that any serious solution to bridge the demand-supply gap must be built around mustard oil, which holds the potential to lead India toward Atmanirbharta in edible oil.